A long time vintage sports card dealer dipped into the auction market for the first time with some high grade baseball legends tops in the bidding.

Legacy Sports Rarities wrapped up its inaugural catalog/internet auction event with high grade 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Babe Ruth and 1953 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball cards generating the top bids.

The auction which concluded March 28, generated total prices realized of $737,058. There were 3,351 registered bidders, and 95 different winning bidders. A total of 235 lots were featured, of which 234 were sold. There were 2,502 bids placed, for an average of close to 11 bids per lot.

The following five items received the most bids:

1. Lot 5 – 1912 T202 Devlin (Rustlers) – Devlin Gets His Man – Mathewson PSA NM-MT 8 — 55 bids
2. Lot 7 – 1921 E220 National Caramel Babe Ruth PSA EX 5 — 38 bids
3. Lot 1 – 1887 N28 Allen & Ginter Cap Anson PSA 8 — 34 bids
4. Lot 172 – 1954 NY Journal American Willie Mays PSA 8 — 34 bids
5. Lot 8 – 1933 Goudey Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth SGC 96 — 32 bids

The following five items had the most daily unique visitors to their website page:

1. Lot 8 – 1933 Goudey Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth SGC MINT 96 — 793 hits
2. Lot 16 – 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle SGC MINT 96 — 647 hits
3. Lot 1 – 1887 N28 Allen & Ginter Cap Anson PSA NM-MT 8 — 533 hits
4. Lot 20 – 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente SGC NM/MT+ 92 — 569 hits
5. Lot 3 – 1909 E90-1 American Caramel Joe Jackson PSA VG/EX 4 — 491 hits

The following five lots achieved the highest prices realized:

1. Lot 8 – 1933 Goudey Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth SGC MINT 96 — $105,600
2. Lot 16 – 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle SGC MINT 96 — $74,400
3. Lot 3 – 1909 E90-1 American Caramel Joe Jackson PSA VG-EX 4 — $34,800
4. Lot 6 – 1915 Cracker Jack #57 Walter Johnson SGC MINT 96 — $21,600
5. Lot 10 – 1933 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth SGC NM/MT 88 — $20,400

"I’m extremely pleased with our inaugural auction event," said Legacy owner Greg Bussineau. "The entire process went very smoothly. Our bidders commented on how easy it was to use our internet auction software, and how much they enjoyed the sale ending on a lot by lot basis."

"Considering the economy, we were extremely pleased with the results. The true rarities did exceptionally well. There was intense bidding for many of the 19th century cards, high-grade tobacco cards, and rare E-cards. As has been the case in many recent auctions, items that were virtually unique for the grade, or that had exceptional eye-appeal for the grade, did outstanding."

Some 19th Century highlights include: Lot 1 – 1887 N28 Cap Anson PSA 8 at $14,400, Lot 22 – 1887 N175 Gypsy Queen Tim Keefe PSA 3 at $8400, Lot 23 – 1887 N172 Old Judge Tim Keefe PSA 6 at $8640, Lot 27 – 1887 N172 Old Judge Sam Thompson PSA 7 at $5208, Lot 30 – 1887 N284 Buchner King Kelly SGC 86 at $7992, and Lot 32 – 1888 N43 Allen & Ginter Buck Ewing PSA 6 at $8640.

Tobacco and E-card highlights include: Lot 3 – 1909 E90-1 American Caramel Joe Jackson PSA 4 at $34,800, Lot 4 – 1911 M116 Sporting Life Honus Wagner SGC 88 at $11,040, Lot 5 – 1912 T202 Triple Folder Devlin (Rustlers) – Devlin Gets His Man – Mathewson PSA 8 at $12,000, and Lot 7 – 1921 E220 National Caramel Babe Ruth PSA 5 at $12,000.

Early gum card highlights include: Lot 8 – 1933 Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth SGC 96 at $105,600, Lot 13 – 1939 Play Ball #26 Joe DiMaggio SGC 96 at $12,000, Lot 143 – 1937 O-Pee-Chee #118 Joe DiMaggio PSA 7 at $7920, Lot 149 – 1940 Play Ball #27 Ted Williams SGC 92 at $5160, Lot 230 – 1932 US Caramel #3 Bobby Jones PSA 6 at $5400, and Lot 234 – 1938 Horrors of War #14 Bomb Kills Passengers on Shanghai Trolley PSA 8 at $3612.

Post-war highlights include: Lot 16 – 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle SGC 96 at $74,400, Lot 17 – 1954 Red Man #16 Whitey Ford PSA 10 at $4800, Lot 20 – 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente SGC 92 at $8400, Lot 21 – 1966 Topps USA #35 Bobby Orr PSA 7 at $10,560, Lot 155 – 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle PSA 7 at $9120, Lot 172 – 1954 NY Journal American Willie Mays PSA 8 at $3120, Lot 193 – 1960 Bell Brand #9 Sandy Koufax PSA 8 at $3606, Lot 219 – 1955 Topps All-American #68 The Four Horsemen SGC 92 at $1584, and Lot 225 – 1951 Topps Ringside #32 Rocky Marciano PSA 8 at $3264.

Legacy’s next auction is scheduled for August 8, 2009.

Related posts:

1. 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Ruth Draws $10K Bid
2. PSA 8 Sport Kings Babe Ruth Sells for $20,500
3. Mantle Collection, High Grade HOFers Part of Auction
4. A Short History of Babe Ruth Baseball Cards
5. Memory Lane Offers Pre-War Cards, Early Mantle & Mays